We’ve all heard or felt some version of the story by now. Across much of the Western world, an old political order is ending. Loneliness, anxiety, and polarization are rising. In the wealthiest societies in history—where technology has never been more advanced—a crisis of meaning is taking hold. All this has contributed to the rise of various forms of nationalism, populism, and a politics of exclusion.

But what are we going to do about it? 

At Capita, we believe we must go back to look at the deep root causes of this story, even if we are very familiar with many of them. For decades, many Western societies—particularly those described as WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic)—have prioritized economic growth, technological progress, and upward economic mobility above all else. In the process, we’ve neglected the social foundations that help people and communities flourish. The well-being of families and communities has been sidelined in economic and political decision-making.

The crisis of meaning we see today, especially among the young, is part and parcel of a public culture that has been systematically drained of moral and spiritual substance in favor of following the numbers, most often the bottom line, most often to the benefit of the already wealthy and powerful. 

We see the effects of this shift in at least four profound ways:

Engineered material insecurity in an age of wealth

Despite historic wealth, economic structures have created and sustained chronic financial instability for millions. Even in wealthy nations, families struggle to meet basic needs, and the pressures of precarious work, housing instability, and rising costs make it difficult for communities to flourish, all while the richest grow richer.

A loss of shared agency

For much of human history, people have drawn strength and purpose from their ability to shape the world around them, together. Whether through families, religious communities, labor unions, neighborhood groups, or local governments, individuals found meaning not just in personal freedom, but in shared responsibility. They didn’t act alone; they acted with others. That is what shared agency is: the ability to make decisions, solve problems, and build something lasting in community. 

Today, that possibility feels increasingly out of reach. Many people feel powerless in the face of systems too large, opaque, or unresponsive to influence. Local decisions are often made far away, filtered through layers of bureaucracy, or shaped by corporate interests with no real stake in the community. And so, when people look for support, affirmation, or even just someone who will listen, they too often find themselves speaking into the void, or to a chatbot. 

This erosion of shared agency isn’t just a political or technical problem, it’s a moral and cultural one. When people lose the ability to act meaningfully with others, society begins to fray. We lose not only our capacity to solve collective problems but also our sense of belonging, trust, and hope. At the very moment when people are crying out for more connection, more participation, and more purpose, the pathways to act together—to co-create the future—feel far out of reach. This is at the heart of so much of our societal pain. 

The weakening of nurturing relationships

Strong, supportive relationships—within families, communities, and institutions—are the foundation of the resilience and belonging on which our society depends.

But we are seeing diminished connections between caregivers and children, a loss of intergenerational bonds, and the erosion of local social networks critical for shared flourishing. When these bonds weaken or are lost, we lose the ability to weather hardship, build shared worlds, and undertake common projects. 

A dearth of trusted leadership 

At a time when we need visionary, long-term thinking and moral imagination, we face a profound leadership deficit and, with that, a collapse of public trust in institutions. Many public and private sector leaders prioritize short-term wins—profits, elections, social media influence—over long-term human flourishing. Without values-driven leadership capable of fostering solidarity and care, societies fracture into competing factions, and the moral and cultural ecology of nations erodes. The leadership deficit is not just one of the systemic drivers; it is the linchpin.

These systemic drivers are compounded by our confrontation with digital technologies, shifting patterns of work, and economic instability nationally and globally. But what we are facing is a crisis of worldview. In WEIRD societies, a mindset of possessive individualism has taken root. This mindset treats individuals as self-contained entities whose primary goal is accumulating wealth, power, and security in an uncertain world. Relationships, communities, and even the environment become secondary to pursuing personal gain. Within this logic, hoarding resources and treating others as instruments to one’s success is both rational and expected. This ethos is reflected in the triumph of financialization—the idea that economic growth, measured by GDP, quarterly earnings, or stock market returns, alone defines progress. If the economy is growing, the logic goes, then people must be thriving. 

At various points in history, religious traditions, grassroots solidarity movements, and government programs have softened the excesses of possessive individualism. Yet today, this possessive individualist ethos is metastasizing, driven by growing paranoia and both real and imagined scarcity. 

This status quo is unsustainable. The challenges we face—political instability, social fragmentation, and ecological crises—demand a bold reimagining of what it means to live well together. 

A new framework for a new political order

WEIRD societies must redirect their energy toward qualitative growth: becoming better, not just richer. This vision of a flourishing society includes stronger families, vibrant spiritual and cultural lives, great art, deep learning, and beautiful built and natural environments. It includes the kind of brave, creative individuality that can only emerge in nurturing and supportive communities. This is what it means to pursue the common good.

At Capita, we call this vision Common good pluralism.

This framework rejects possessive individualism in favor of interconnected communities where dignity, shared responsibility, and human flourishing are at the center.

Here’s what it looks like. 

Family and Community as the foundation

Every one of us comes from a family. When families are stable and supported, communities flourish. In a healthy environment, a child can grow and flourish, adults can navigate the complexities of life, and elders can grow old in dignity and pass on in comfort. When families are strained, the impacts ripple far beyond. We must start here as we build the common good. Governments and institutions must prioritize family stability and well-being, addressing systemic issues such as exploitative economic practices, caregiving burdens, and housing inequality—not just as individual issues but as the bedrock of a good society. 

A holistic vision of human life

Life is about more than material and economic success. Beauty, art, culture, health and spirituality are integral to a fully human life, reflecting the belief that “man does not live by bread alone.” For here is where we often find meaning in life—beyond the day-to-day. Common good pluralism also values the traditions, communities, and shared histories that shape us. It honors the lives and labors of those who came before us. Shared histories and cultural traditions provide continuity and wisdom for navigating modern challenges and improving our lives today.

Economies that serve the common good

Economic structures should prioritize human dignity and shared responsibility over short-term profit, promoting broad-based ownership, fair treatment and payment of employees, and ethical business practices. Steep inequality undermines both the social fabric and the common good. A society where a few thrive while many struggle is unsustainable.

Revitalized civic and cultural life

Rebuilding shared agency means creating spaces where people can come together, participate in public life, and see their ideas take shape. It also means recovering the ancient truth that democracy is not something that happens to us; it’s something we do with one another.

Effective, trustworthy intermediary institutions—such as schools, religious institutions, unions, and local neighborhood organizations—make life in complex societies livable. These institutions embody the principles of subsidiarity (acting at the most local level possible) and solidarity (mutual support and care), enabling wide participation in society. Above all, they foster belonging, social trust, mutual care, and civic engagement. Leaders should not be afraid to argue for the importance and centrality of these institutions. 

Innovation that strengthens flourishing

Progress is more than efficiency. Innovation must strengthen connection and relationships, not erode them; reduce inequality, not widen it. The right kinds of innovation help people and communities flourish, especially in the face of rapid change.

A society rooted in care and belonging

People, families, and communities are interdependent—not connected by transactional, utility-maximizing contracts, but by enduring social covenants rooted in mutual care, responsibility, and shared purpose. Social cohesion depends on strong, enduring relationships of responsibility and solidarity. The common good must include everyone, rejecting exclusion and marginalization in all forms.

Leaders who shape moral imagination

At the heart of this framework are leaders—in politics, business, education, faith, and culture—who are willing to challenge the dominant logic of possessive individualism and offer a more expansive, hopeful story of what we can become: a compelling vision of a flourishing society that values solidarity, care, and the common good above personal or partisan interests.

We might look to examples from history. In his famous “Ask Not” inauguration speech, for instance, John F. Kennedy called Americans to responsibility, service, and national purpose. European leaders like Giorgio La Pira, who had dedicated themselves to the rhetorical defense of human dignity against the Fascists during World War II, turned their attention to “winning the peace” by promoting democratic participation and constitutional structures that embedded the importance of human dignity and labor. 

Today, we need a similar call to neighborliness as a public virtue. 

George Will observed in the early 1980s, “We are, to some extent, what we and our leaders—the emblematic figures of our polity—say we are.” Too often, political leaders talk to us like consumers, offering products and promising benefits. But citizens don’t want to be passive consumers of government services; they want to be active participants in shaping their communities and futures.

Of course, this isn’t a task for politicians alone. Teachers, ministers, local business leaders, journalists, and others should recognize that how they speak—whether in a classroom or before Congress—shapes the moral ecology of a nation and can set us on the path toward a more inclusive and humane future. 

The question before us is simple, even if the answers are not: What kind of society do we want to become—and who are we willing to be to get there?

Joe Waters is Capita’s Co-Founder and CEO.

Ian Marcus Corbin is a Senior Fellow at Capita.

Caroline Cassidy is Capita’s Chief Strategy Officer.